Mariella Cariaga in The Scientist:
In today’s world, food hunger and insecurity are not due to lack of food. Right now, the world produces enough food to feed every adult and child currently alive on the planet. Yet, about 673 million people worldwide faced hunger in 2024, and 18.3 million households in the United States struggled with food insecurity in that same year.
Food waste or loss contributes greatly to this food paradox. It is estimated that a fifth of all food produced globally is lost before reaching someone’s table. Unharvested crops due to low prices, unsold food in retail stores, and uneaten leftovers in people’s homes contribute to this growing problem. In the US, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that between 30–40 percent of the food is wasted, with 31 percent of it being lost at the retail and household levels. Food losses affect more than just people; the current food production process, which includes livestock, fertilizer use in soil, agricultural machinery, transportation, and discarded food rotting in landfills also contributes to up to 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
More here.
Enjoying the content on 3QD? Help keep us going by donating now.